Engine preheater



Feb. 12 1924.

.J. Goon ENGINE PREHEATER I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 24, 1917 nveml'oz I Feb. 12 192 2,

J. GOOD ENGINE PREHEATBR Original Filed May 24, 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 d 7.51 63; H07 0 a;

Patented Feb. 12, l24.

STATES 1,483,577 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GOOD, OF GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOOD INVENTIONS CO., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ENGINE PREHEATER.

Application filed May 24, 1917, Serial No. 170,580. Renewed July 14, 1921. Serial No. 484,821.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Goon, United States citizen, residing in Garden City, Long Island, New York, have invented the 1501 lowing described Improvements in Engine Preheaters.

The invention as herein described in detail provides a simple means of preheating, by combustion, the vaporizer or internal passages of internal combustion engines, Whereby the engine is quickly brought to condition for normal operation, and consists in a fuel and air mixing device adapted to serve alternately as a flame-producing device or burner delivering flame or hot combustion products to the engine intake passage and as a carburetor delivering thereto a correctly proportioned mixture of fu and air for the working combustion in .116 engine,

and being readily convertible from one condition to the other is suitable for the various purposes of burners in connection with the supply of fuel to combustion engines. The principle of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in a simple form and in such manner as to enable any person skilled in this art to embody the same principlein other forms which will naturally differ widely in. design and appearance according to the character of the engine and the requirements of the fuel or the preference of the maker. In these drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an automobile engine equipped with the said. combined-or convertible carburetor and burner illustrat- 1 ing also the control means thereof;

Fig. 2 is an enlargedlongitudinal section of the carburetor structure and Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line IIL-III of Fig. 2.

As indicated in the drawings the engine,

is equipped with an engine-turning'device in the form of a starting motor 1 of usual type operated by a storage batteryunder the control of a plunger or push button 2 mounted in some place convenient to the operator, as

for instance on the dash of a. motor vehicle. The push button actuates a rod 3 which extends to the carburetor structure and by its reciprocation converts it into a flame-p10 ducin burner, operated by the suction created by the engine when rotated by the starting motor. The convertible carburetor structure consists of a hollow body on casing connected to the suction intake t with the regular engine throttle 5 located at or near the unction, either imthe intake passage or in the carburetor casing as desired. 1 The casing 1s formed ln part as a Venturi m1x1ng tube, such as common in carburetors '00 and the fuel spray nozzle 6 enters the casing so that 'its orifice is disposed at about the centre of the throat of suchtube. In this position it is in the high "velocity path of the air entering from the primary air inlet 7, G

which inlet is open when the structure functions as a carburetor. A. valve 8, of any desired type, closes this primary inlet when the structure is to function as a burner. A

constantly open, suction air jet nozzle 9 is arranged in the upper wall of the casing with its orifice in aspirating relation to the fuel orifice 6. This air jet becomes vigorously active only when the valve 8 is closed and operates to aspirate and discharge a 76 finely atomized fuel spray from the orifice 6 through the casing and toward or into the intakepassage. On such occasion the liquidfuel is lifted from the float chamber the b aspirating effect of the air jet, the liquicl surso face in the float chamber being equalized to the interior (if the casing by the air passage or vent 10. When the structure functions as a carburetor the liquid is lifted by reason of the pressure reduction existing at the as throat of the Venturi tube, the pressure on the liquid in the float chamber being substantially that of atmosphere/when the valve 8 is open.

Immediately beyond the spray nozzles there is mounted an electric s ark ignite! 11 with hooked-shaped electro e terminals directly intercepting the spray and adapted to ignite it, and just beyond theignited is arranged the auxiliary air inlet controlled 06 by a checkvalve 12 loaded with a spring 13. One end of the spring thrusts against the collar at the upper end of the .valve stem and the other against a sliding abutment collar 14 resting against a cam disc 15 by,,1oo

the rotation of which the spring pressure on the valve may be varied. Thecam disc 15 rotated by its small pinion 16 journalled on the main casing or an extension thereof and engaged by the teeth of a rack bar 17 m which rack bar is mounted to slide on the casing and is connected to the rod 3 above referred to for endwise reciprocation. The rack bar 17 also operates a circuit closer 18 of any suitable type for opening and no closing the rimary circuit 19 of the spark coil 20. This circuit is from the same storage battery which operates the starting motor and the secondary circuit of the spark coil, marked 21, is connected to the electric igniter 11. The circuit closer 18 is closed and the igniter plug rendered active when the structure is converted into the condition of a burner-the position of theparts indicated in Fig. 2. The rack bar 17 still further operates the valve 8 of the primary air entrance 7 for which purpose the said valve is supported to slide in an extension bracket on the casing and moved by a segment lever 22 geared to the teeth '23 on the rack.

By pushing on the button 2 and thereby thrusting the rack bar 17 to the left of Fig. 2, the air valve 8 is closed, the igniter circuit is also closed, thespring 13 is put under extra tension and the starting motor 1 is' energized and rotates the engine.

The resulting suction acting on the air nozzle 9 establishes a fuel spray which. is immediately ignited. by the spark at the igniter, the mixture being over-rich at this point and the air necessary for continued and complete combustion of the igniter spray entersinto contact with it, and around itthreugh the. auxiliary valve opening, opened by the. suction fetter-t. The tension of the spring-".13 determines the proportions of fuel spray and combustionsupporting air so that there is produced in the carburetor structure a steady, intense and clean-burning flame which enters the engine intake and circulates through the engine passages, Warming the interior and raising the temperature to such point may be desired, the throttle 5, for this particular mode of operation. being understood to be open or' set so far from the carburetor-burner structure as not to extinguish the fiame if partially closed. The action of this burner structure is substantially identical with the suction burner disclosed in my cop-ending application, filed June 6, 19b6, Serial No. 101,889, to which reference may be had for further explanation of the non-explosive character of combustion produced. When the combustion has been continued for a suliicient period pressure on the pushbutton 2 isreleased or it is pulled outwardly, to open the valve 8 and restore the normal, Weaker, spring tension on the valve 12 and break the igniter circuit but still retaining the motor circuit closed. The opening of valve 8 immediately destroys the spraying 'eli'ect of the air nozzle 9 and stops the combustion.

Mere. cessation oil the igniter circuit will not stop combustion which, when once started, is continuous for as long as the proper roportions of fuel and airare supplied. he burner, with its air passages thus modified is thereby re-tmnverted into a carburetor and as such supplies the engine with normal fuel mixture, well heated by i reason of its contact with the hot casing and control as a simple push button restored by a spring, but obviously the design of this partof the system may be greatly varied according to preferenc'c and convenience and according as to Whether the same control is to perform other functions. It could, .fore:-;- ample, be used as a so-called choker for the carburetor and it is adapted to control all kinds of staftingmotors such as ordinarily used'on automobiles and boats. It should be, so designed as to effect conversion and operationof the carburetor structure.

as a burner simultaneously'or coincidently with the cranking of the engine and also to continue the cranking after the l e-conversion back to carburetor condition. Operating a carburetor the air valve 12 supplies the so-called secondary air under its Weaker spring pressure and for this purpose it may be designed and controlled according to any preferred method of carburation and various means of preserving uniformity of proportions inthe fuel mixture, for high and low speeds, may'be supplied. For convenience of description I have herein shown the carburetor as of simplest form and in what might be called a conventional type. It will be understood however, that it may have all of the usual appurtenances and adjustments common in carburetors andnot necessary to be described. that while in the present case. the intake passage of the engine'is'assumed to be the normal vaporizer for the fuehvarious special forms of intake vaporizer-s may be sub stituted for it, exhaust-heated or Water-jacketed as preferred. All such vaporizing instrumentalities will of" course, beadequately heated during the'preliminary operation of the carburetor structure as a flame-produc ing burner.

My copending application Serial No. 314,061,.fi1ed July 29, 1919, describes my combined carburetor and burner structure arranged to include enough unconsumed- It will be also understood.

Ill

explosive fuel mixture thereto and with an electric igniter, a switch controlling the cir cuit of the ignitcr, and means for operating said device first to pass flame into said intake and then to deliver said fuel mixture through the same to the engine.

2. A carburetor structure for internal combustion engines comprising a fuel nozzle and air inlet normally producing a fuel mixture of explosive proportions for combustion in the engine cylinders and also comprising an electric igniter and means for modifying the fuel mixture encountering said igniter to convert the structure into a suction-ope 'ated liame-producing device.

3 A means for starting combustion engines comprising a device connected to the engine intake and provided with air and fuel inlets normally functioning to automatically" deliver an explosive mixture to said intake, means for turning the engine and changing the air flow during such turning and an elec tric igniter in said device producing ignition and steady combustion therein to internally pre-hea; said intake during the engine turning period.

4. In an internal combustion engine the combination with an engine turning mechanism, an operators control therefor and a carburetor structure for the engine convertible by said "control into a burner for preheating the engine 5. The combination with an internal combustion'cnginc cf an engine-turning motor therefor, a carburetor therefor including an ignitcr and convertible into a flame-produc ing burner and i an operators control adapted for conjointly operating said motor and converting said carburetor into a burner and vice versa.

6. The combination with an internal com bustion engine of a storage battery, an onnine-turning motor to be operated thereby, a carburetor for the engine including an electric iguitcr adapted to ignite the fuel in said carburetor and an opcratofis control arranged to coiucidcntly connect said battery to the motor and ignitcr. p

'7. in an lllttl'llii combustion engine, an intake passage and a rarhui'clor normally delivering an explosive inixlurc oi liquid fuel and air to said passage and. containing a fuel nozzle in asp-nai ing relation to thc air flow to said passauc mcans for rotating the engine and at the same time temporarily augmenting the velocity of said aspiraiing liow, an electric igniter in said carburetor and a circuit therefor automatically encrgizcd during said augmented flow, said parts being mutually organized and adapted to 1st ablish ignition and stcadyburning within said intake passage to preheat the same.

8. In an engine carburetor, an electric i 'niter, an operating circuit therefor and a vI iembcr for controllino the same ada ted b its operation to modify the carburetor mixture to permit ignition and continuous enclosed combustion of the fuel within the carburetor.

9. The combination \vith'an' electricallystarted internal combustion engine having a carburetor arranged to function as an enclosed burner, of an operators control having two positions, in one of which it coincidently rotates the engine and causes the carburetor to function as a burner and in the other of which it restores the carburetor function and rotates the engine.

10. The combination with a structure adapted for connection to an engine intake having admission means for fuel and air andcontaining an electric igniter arranged to produce ignition and combustion in said structure whereby flame is delivered to the engine intake and an air valve for said structure adapted to extinguish the combustion.

11. In internal combustion apparatus, a

difi'erent velocities and through difi'erent paths into admixture with the fuel from said nozzle, one ofisaid paths providing a mixture region suitably rich in fuel to ermit ignition and non-explosive combustion in the passage and an electric igniter occupying said region and the other path furnishin; a combustion-extinguishing air flow.

12. In internal combustion apparatus, a closed flame passage. a fuel nozzle therein and means for directing air through diflerent paths into admixture with the fuel from said nozzle. one of said paths providing a mixture region suitably rich in fuel to permit ignition and non-explosive combustion in the passage and the other of said paths being adapted when opened to extinguish the combustion, in combination with an electric ignitcr occupying the location of said rich mixture.

13. The combination of an internal combustion engine, a, charge-forming device associated therewith for supplying a charge mixture of fuel and air thereto, said chargelorming device being arranged to provide on starting an (H'Ql' liOll mixture of fuel spray and air within itself, an. igniter located in. said over-rich mixture to ignite said spray, and means for extinguishing the llame at will and permitting the chargeforminn' device to supply unig'nited charge mixture to the engine.

14. The combination of an internal c0inbustion engine, a charge-forming de ice as sociated therewith for supplying a charge mixture of fuel. and air thereto, said chargeforming device being arranged. to provide on starting an over-rich mixture of fuel spray and air Within itself, an .igniter located in saidover-rich mixture to ignite said spray, means directing combustion supporting air to the ignited over rich mixture, and means for extinguishingthe flame at will and permitting the charge-totalling device to supply unignited chargemixture to the engine.

15. The combination of an internal combustion. engine, av charge-forming device associated therewith for supplying an enginerunning charge-mixture of fuel and air thereto, said charge-forming device having means for causing the mixture to have different degrees of richness at different points therein, an igniter located at a point in said chargeforming device where the mixture is relatively rich to ignite the same, and means for extinguishing the flame at will and permitting the ehar e-forming device to supply unignited charge mixture to the engine.

16. The combination with an internal combustion engine, a spray carburetor for supplying an enginerunning charge-mixture thereto, an electric spark igniter in said carburetor directly intercepting the spray from the fuel orifice to ignite the same, and means for extinguishing the flame 'at will and permitting the carburetor to supply unignited charge mixture to the engine.

17. The combination of an internal com-- means and the fuel orifice of the carburetor to ignite fuel therefrom, a member to control the operation of the igniter, and means for extinguishing the flame at will and per mitting the carburetor LU su ply unignited charge mixture to the engine for operation thereon.

1.8. The combination with an internal combustion engine, its fuel intake, and a spray type carburetor for supplying a mix- .tureof'fuel and air thereto, of an igniter ignited or unignited fuel to the engine.

20. The combination of an internal com bustion engine, a. charge-forming device associated therewith for supplying a charge mixture of fuel and air thereto, an igniter for the'fuel from said charge-forming device, and means for extinguishing the flame thereof at will and permitting the chargeforming device to supply unignited charge mixtureto the engine, provisions being made for an over-rich mixture of fuel spray and air, at the igniter, when said means permits the ignition of the mixture from the charge-forming device whereby said igniter may ignite the mixture from said chargeforming device.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

JOHN GOOD. 

